What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
- karstopography
- Reactions:
- Posts: 9505
- Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2020 7:15 am
- Location: Southeast Texas
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
Spanish moss makes for good tomato tie up material, I use it on occasion when I’m out of sisal twine. Spanish Moss isn’t something that everyone has that hanging off their trees, but maybe some of y’all do. Gentle on delicate tomato stems. Got to kind of work with it a little to form a good enough line. Definitely compost pile worthy once the season is over. The moss isn’t bad as a mulch either. Clumps of fresh moss are good for cleaning off plant containers or just to wipe soil off tools. Cows love it as forage, old timers around here would cut down a tree loaded with spanish moss in the winter to help the herd survive a hard winter. If you have it in your yard, put your nose to it and take a deep breath, smells great.
"No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden."
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
- Cole_Robbie
- Reactions:
- Posts: 1620
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 11:58 pm
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
The cheapest string is baler twine from the farm store. Unfortunately it is synthetic and just about never goes away. Sisal would be my choice, because it biodegrades.
- SQWIB
- Reactions:
- Posts: 185
- Joined: Mon Dec 23, 2019 6:41 am
- Location: Zone 7A Philly
- Contact:
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
I've been using handcuffs because when I tie them up, they always get away, lol.
I don't tie tomato plants up anymore I just support with a center support inside their cages but I used to use strips of bed sheets, just tear a strip.
I don't tie tomato plants up anymore I just support with a center support inside their cages but I used to use strips of bed sheets, just tear a strip.
- Labradors
- Reactions:
- Posts: 787
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 3:38 pm
- Location: Ontario, Canada
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
Hey Sqwib, You were never a boy scout were ya? Next time try a reef knot: Left over right and under, right over left and under
.
Linda

Linda
-
- Reactions:
- Posts: 459
- Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2020 8:34 pm
- Location: North AL Zone 7
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
"Right over left, left over right, makes a knot neat, tidy and tight!" Girl Scouts!! 
North Central AL (mountains)
Zone 7
Zone 7
- JosephineRose
- Reactions:
- Posts: 171
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 4:05 pm
- Location: California
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
I use butcher's twine.
Melissa
Zone: 10A
Climate: Warm Summer Mediterranean
Avg annual rainfall: 23.96"
Zone: 10A
Climate: Warm Summer Mediterranean
Avg annual rainfall: 23.96"
-
- Reactions:
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2020 2:13 pm
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
I use the green stretchy plastic garden tape. I reuse them every year unless they break. This has the advantage of being already cut to length so I don't need to mess with cutting every year. Plus it keeps the stuff out of the landfills.
QAGUY
Glendora, CA
Pride of the Foothills
Sunset zone 21
USDA zone 9
Glendora, CA
Pride of the Foothills
Sunset zone 21
USDA zone 9
- peebee
- Reactions:
- Posts: 655
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 6:48 pm
- Location: So. Calif zone 10
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
I use shoe laces some that are at least 20 years old, from every pair this family has worn, if the shoes were deemed too frayed to donate or give away. The lengths work perfectly for me & if not I can cut them or tie 2 together. I love them cuz they're soft yet sturdy.
Zone 10, Southern California
Will eat anything once before I judge.
Anything meaning any foods of course.
Will eat anything once before I judge.
Anything meaning any foods of course.
- arnorrian
- Reactions:
- Posts: 737
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 10:37 pm
- Location: Moesia Superior
- Contact:
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
I use rubber hose for stakes, and clips for lower-and-lean. Both are reusable.




Climate: Cfa
USDA hardiness zone: 7a
Elevation: 140 m
USDA hardiness zone: 7a
Elevation: 140 m
- KathyDC
- Reactions:
- Posts: 205
- Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2020 1:33 pm
- Location: Suburban Washington, DC (zone 7A)
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
I've been using this soft stretchy hollow rubber stuff. Works well so far, surprisingly soft.
-
- Reactions:
- Posts: 2296
- Joined: Sun Jan 05, 2020 11:35 am
- Location: Connecticut
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
Yarn from goodwill.
"A chiseled face,Just like Easter Island" 

- asaump
- Reactions:
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2020 2:10 pm
- Location: Maine Zone 4b
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
I used clips like shown above as I run mine up a string on roller hooks.
Pic from last year
Pic from last year
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Ken
- wildcat62
- Reactions:
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 3:51 pm
- Location: Northern Kentucky
- bower
- Reactions:
- Posts: 6895
- Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 12:44 pm
- Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
Just picked up a roll of jute today from the corner store. Looks thicker than the stuff we used at the farm, it should bear lots of weight.
AgCan Zone 5a/USDA zone 4
temperate marine climate
yearly precip 61 inches/1550 mm
temperate marine climate
yearly precip 61 inches/1550 mm
-
- Reactions:
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2020 2:34 pm
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
I use tomato clips to attatch my plants to my trellis
- wildcat62
- Reactions:
- Posts: 297
- Joined: Tue Dec 10, 2019 3:51 pm
- Location: Northern Kentucky
- Volvo
- Reactions:
- Posts: 119
- Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2020 7:38 pm
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
That plastic barrier tape , nice ,wide and soft to the plant but rather stretchy and if you dont tie it the correct way the plant collapses if you have ample fruits . i now knot it to the stake first and then to the plant that way it supports the weight of the fruit , to a certain extent mindyou.
In previouse years caging was my prefered method as just let the plant do its own thing but more prone to pests n diseases due to lack of air circulation come the warmer months or so i am thinking ..
In previouse years caging was my prefered method as just let the plant do its own thing but more prone to pests n diseases due to lack of air circulation come the warmer months or so i am thinking ..
- habitat-gardener
- Reactions:
- Posts: 584
- Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2019 1:56 am
- Location: central california, Sunset zone 14
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
Soft coated wire (called Flexible Tie) from the dollar store, 16.5 ft for $1 plus tax. Bright enough green and easy to undo, so I reuse it from year to year. Gentle on the canes, but strong, can spiral around the stem or do a figure8.
Added: it's available only in the spring, so it makes sense to stock up ahead of time. By this time of the year, it seems like I need more! I've already used up all of last year's, plus 3 packages from this year.
It's fun to use and much easier than tying thinner materials.
Added: it's available only in the spring, so it makes sense to stock up ahead of time. By this time of the year, it seems like I need more! I've already used up all of last year's, plus 3 packages from this year.
It's fun to use and much easier than tying thinner materials.
Last edited by habitat-gardener on Sun Aug 02, 2020 10:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Amateurinawe
- Reactions:
- Posts: 1482
- Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:11 am
- Location: Emsworth UK
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
I just wind the string around the plant stem and use Roman blind spring clips as the tensioner for the string. Very easy to loosen string , wrap around the new growth then re-tension. Top tip, a blob of petroleum jelly rubber on the spring clip stops any ingress of water to rust the spring.
Last edited by Amateurinawe on Mon Aug 03, 2020 4:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
The behaviour of light means you observe me as i was then, and not as I am now.
I cannot change history, so I do hope i gave you a good impression of myself
I cannot change history, so I do hope i gave you a good impression of myself
-
- Reactions:
- Posts: 1070
- Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2019 12:15 am
- Location: NE PA zone 6
Re: What do you use to tie up tomatoes?
I use Velcro ties to connect early tomato seedlings to stakes. Later use the nylon straw bale strings from used Bales to keep plants held up. Most are planted in bales alone a 6 ft fence. Have had to add tall poles to either side of some bales as some varieties are getting mush taller than the fence and have to be prevented from flopping over. When I run out of bale string resort to black electric wire I once bought in 90 ft spools From Radio Shack. Tying up is a constant daily activity at this time of year!